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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27127784">Everyday in the City by the Bay</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MilkChuggs/pseuds/MilkChuggs'>MilkChuggs</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Blaseball (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Slice of Life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:14:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>989</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27127784</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MilkChuggs/pseuds/MilkChuggs</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of short pieces depicting daily life among the San Francisco Lovers.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Everyday in the City by the Bay</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Knight and Percival have a heart to heart about some of their new teammates.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It's a rare clear day in The Polyhedron. The California sun (or one of them, at least) has just crested over the stadium, its beams coming down over the heart shaped diamond of the infield. For once, the grounds are not obstructed by San Francisco fog, cloud cover, or the foreboding moon. The smell of wet grass still lingers in the air as the Lovers take the field, ready for a day of practice.</p><p>There is much cajoling and canoodling, as to be expected from the team, as they make their morning stretches. The clank and clang of armor is sometimes audible between the chatter of conversation, but despite everything that they, and Blaseball as a whole, have endured of late, there is cheer in the air.</p><p>As they stretch, Yosh takes the time to set up for batting practice. He wheels out a strange wooden construction, likely of his own design, resembling a cage on top of a tripod with a long wooden barrel sticking out the front. Pitching, after all, can be strenuous and destructive on a body, and this was his idea to save the team a bit of pain in the off season. A while ago, before the Snackrifice, the team called this contraption their “pitching machine”. Nowadays, however, that name seemed to be in poor taste, and they all did their best to avoid using it.</p><p>As Alexander takes their place at home plate and the rest of the team moves to take fielding positions, Knight has taken their customary vigil by the dugout. They survey their team, and in many ways it is truly their team, and watch the practice with some measure of pride. They can remember what it was like in the early days, when they were the only one with any experience even swinging a bat, outside of committing felonies.</p><p>"Think it's going to be a good season for us?" asks a voice to their side. Knight turns their helmet to regard Percival, clad in her shining armor, so well maintained that the morning sun casts a glare off of her plate.</p><p>Knight shakes their helmet. "Possibly, but with everything that's happened, I'm not sure it will be. We've all been through so much, lately."</p><p>Percy nodded her head. "I know. I worry sometimes for... well, I can't really call them the new kid anymore, can I?"</p><p>Knight turns from her and casts their gaze deep into the outfield, where a flickering form now stood, knees bent, glove ready to intercept any balls that came their way.</p><p>"Your worry is not misplaced," Knight replies after a while. "The child is strong of heart, but they know not the depths of it. I fear they're meant for something much greater than I... than <em>we</em>, can ever teach them."</p><p>Percy had no answer to that. At times like this, with their mind wandering, Knight seemed like a creature from some forgotten time, seperated from this world and yet still a part of it. But she knew that deep inside them, they cared, and quite deeply. Sometimes, they cared too much. "You can’t help but try and mentor them, can you?"</p><p>Knight sighs a long sigh. "Of course not," they say, somewhat more cheerily. "I can't betray myself. All I wish is for all of us to grow."</p><p>Percy smiles. It was one of the things she found admirable about Knight; their desire to give a home to anyone who needed it. But, as her expression darkens, this conversation has only served to remind her of the other reason she wished to speak to Knight. "And... what of the other transfer? She still sleeps, alone in the stands. She doesn't respond when we call to her, though I've seen her move under her own power."</p><p>They hear her words. But Knight is silent.</p><p>"It's only a matter of time before the first game of the season," Percy continues, realizing an answer is not forthcoming. "I could not help but notice... she's in our rotation. She... she doesn't show to practice. She hasn't spoken to <em>any</em> of us beyond a few short words.” For a moment, she thinks through what she wants to say. She is fearful of getting the words wrong. She is right to be careful.</p><p>“Knight... how are we supposed to play with someone we barely even know?"</p><p>Knight looked down. They cannot meet Percival's questioning gaze. "To be honest, I... I don't know. But I've already spoken with Parker about this. Whatever happens, we cannot turn her away."</p><p>"Even if there's something... wrong?” Percy continued, though she immediately regretted her words. “ I mean... what if her time with those... gods? What if it changed her?"</p><p>Knight turns to Percy, and after a moment of deliberation, takes off their helmet. Though Percy knows intellectually there's nothing beneath the armor, the glamour still takes hold of her senses. The aura that suffuses Knight shows her a face, beautiful and handsome. A face that could cause love at first sight, were she not already in love with them.</p><p>"We will do what we always do," they softly tell her, with a conviction rumbling in their voice like distant thunder. "We will give her a place she can, for a time, call home."</p><p>Knight turns back to the field just in time to see NaN speed towards the back wall. At the last moment, NaN dives to catch the ball, stealing what easily could have been a triple from Horne. A small cheer erupts from the assembled lovers on the field, and even Alexander simply shrugs, smiling, and walks away from the plate. Knight sees the genuine smile and satisfaction on NaN's face as they pick themself up from the ground, grass staining their uniform. And in that moment, they are made certain of their course.</p><p>Knight smiles out towards their team. "And, I suppose, we'll try to show her what love can do."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>That was short! This is just something I'm hoping to add to while work is slow at my dayjob. I already have a few ideas floating around for future chapters; I'm going to try to focus on two or three team members at a time.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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